Electrolytic process and product.



M. M. MERRITT. E RDLYTIC PROCESS AND PRODUCT. PPLICAHON FILED DEC-8.19M.

I Patent-ed Oct; 22, 1918 MATTHEW rt. MERRITT, 015 SOUTH MIDDLETON, MASSACHUSETTS, Assrenon To COPPER- PRODUCTS COMPANY, CE BoSTon, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ELECTROLYTIC PROCESS AND BODUCT.

1,282,268. Original application filed November 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHE M. MER- RITT, a citizen'of the United States, and ,a

resident of South Middleton, county of Essex, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electrolytic Processes and Products A, of which the following description, in. connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification', like characters .on the senting like parts.

This invention pertains to improvements in electrolytic processes and products, and

more particularly, though not exclusively to improvements in the art of electrolyti cally depositing copper or other metal'on the surfaces of non-conductive bodies such as bodies composed of wood.

The invention is peculiarly useful as appliedto electrolytically coating withcopper the surface-of aeroplane propellers.

This application is a divisional of my 00- 1 pending application, Serial No. 199.808.

filed Nov. 2,1917. i v p In the drawings that Show one form of an illustrative embodiment of my inven tionz' Figure 1- shows an aeroplane propeller coated with copper; and

Fig. 2 is adiagrammatic section therethroilllgh on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

I ave found that when an aeroplane propeller is coated with an electrically conductive coating such as precipitated bronze powder and amly-acetate, or any of the .more usual substitutes therefor, and electrolytic deposits of'copper are made thereon, that the structure of the deposited copper is relatively coarse, and the sheet of copper comparatively brittle. I believe this to be due to the comparatively coarse structure of the bronze powder, there being a .tendeney for the deposited copper to partake of the general structure, so far as coarseness is concerned, of the electrically conductlve body .on' which it is, deposited.

"The life of. the copper coating on an aero-' plane, propeller depends on its toughness and fineness of structure, I have found that a very tough coating. of electrolytically deposited copper maybe=deposited by initially. depositing on the electrically con-.

i ductive paint or the like, a-layer of Copper,

Specification of Letters Patent.

drawings repre-' Patented 06.13.22, 1918-.

1917, Serial No. 199,808. Divided and this application filed December 8, 1917. Serial No. 206,292.

preferably comparatively thin. amalgamating this copper surface with mercury or with a mercury amalgam. and then deposit-.

ing on the amalgam su rface a second layer or' laminat on of copper.

The second layer ofcopper of very fine? grained, close texture because the initially coarse first copper Coating has. been rendered fine-grained by the application of the mercury or mercury amalgam.

. between the pores of the copper with resultant reduction of the cohesion of the copper.

In making the experiments leading up to the present invention, I had expected that the by-the mercury that it would contribute practically no-strength to the structure. I

found, h'owever,on strippinga blade made in accordance with the present invention,

that the deleterious effect of the mercury on the initial copper coating appears to be corrected or, in any case, greatly reduced by the combined. action of the electrolyte and the current during the subsequent electro-d'eposition, leaving the .initial coating of copper sired, to effect laminations therein. It will be understoodthat the present invention, and-that described in my.;:co-pending application, may be used in CQilljilHlCtlOIl with one another or alternatively, the generic dominating laims being included in this-application-r 1 While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it will be underfirst. sheet of copper would be so weakened enforcement for the propeller having any j stood that I may greatly the same withtion, which is from the scope of my invenbest defined in the following out departing claims Claims 1. The method of electrolytically coatingnon-conductive cathodes which comprises applying to the surface thereof an electrically conductive substance, electrolytically depositing a layer of metal thereon, applye ing a foreign substance of relatively low tensile strength to layer of electrolytically deposited metal and continuing electro-deposition to provide a second laminated'layer of deposited metal,

separated, from the first by said foreign substance. v

2. The method of electrolytically coating non-conductive cathodes which comprises applying to the surface thereof an electrically conductive substance, electrolytically depositing a layer of metal thereon, amalgamating with mercury the. surface of said deposited layer, 0nd coating of metal surface.

on the amalgamated 3. The method of electrolytically coatingnon-conductive cathodes which comprises by said second layer ing the surface of sa1d initial and electro-depositing a secthe cathodes an electrically conductive paint, electro-depositing a comparatively coarse-grained layer of copper on said paint, amalgamating with applying to the surface of mercury the surface of said relatively coarseing thereon;successivejlayers of metal sepa-.. rated by foreign substancesof relatively low tensile strength, whereby successive laminations of metallic layers are provided.

5. The method of toughen-mg electrolytic,

deposits, which comprises coating saiddeposits with mercury and passin an electric current therethrough', While sub] ected to the action of an electrolyte.

In tBStHHOIly' whereof have signed my name to this specification.

,MATTHEW MERRITT. 

